AHOMKA: A Culturally-adapted mHealth Platform for Management of Hypertension in an Urban and Rural Region of Ghana

项目总结 非传染性疾病(NCD)，包括癌症、心血管疾病、糖尿病，已成为 对低收入和中等收入国家(LMIC)的最大健康威胁。在加纳，高血压被认为是一种 重大公共卫生挑战。手机在加纳的无处不在和移动电话的普及 通信使向我们的目标人群提供mHealth干预成为可能。然而，还有 对以移动卫生技术为基础的高血压干预措施有效性的认识严重不足 SSA中的管理。拟议的AHOMKA mHealth平台是一个基于证据的干预措施，以帮助 在加纳的一个城市和农村地区管理高血压。AHOMKA改编自 Empower HealthTM系统，由美敦力开发的专有软件应用程序，用于直接向患者- 通过移动应用程序和用于高血压管理的文本消息进行提供商通信。这个美国- 加纳合作的R21/R33研究项目将侧重于将Empower HealthTM系统改编为 通过与利益攸关方的多层次接触，加强加纳城乡地区的当地环境。我们有 组建了一支由多国、多学科的研究人员和医疗器械专业人员组成的团队， 在移动技术开发、高血压、心脏病学、人口研究和公共卫生方面的专业知识 在加纳的多个机构(加纳大学、健康与相关科学大学、美敦力 实验室(加纳)和美国(塔夫茨大学贝丝以色列女执事医学中心)。建议的可行性 年，研究将在大阿克拉地区和伏尔塔地区的两家大型心血管诊所进行。 加纳。第一阶段的目标是(1)实施以用户为中心的迭代设计方法，以适应mHealth 基于利益相关者的反馈的平台，以及(2)与 一群病人。第二阶段旨在进行为期12个月的可行性研究，以评估血液变化 加纳两个地区的一群患者面临压力。为了加快移动卫生研究在 加纳，我们提议成立AHOMKA研究和教育网络，作为战略能力的一部分 建筑设计图。

PROJECT SUMMARY Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, have become the greatest health threat for low and middle-income countries (LMIC). In Ghana, hypertension is recognized as a major public health challenge. The ubiquity of mobile phones in Ghana and the popularity of mobile communications make it possible to deliver mHealth interventions to our target population. However, there is crucial gap in knowledge of the effectiveness of mobile health technology-based interventions for hypertension management in SSA. The proposed AHOMKA mHealth platform is an evidence-based intervention to assist with management of hypertension in an urban and rural region of Ghana. AHOMKA is adapted from the Empower HealthTM system, a proprietary software application developed by Medtronic for direct patient-to- provider communication via a mobile application and text messaging for hypertension management. This US- Ghana collaborative R21/R33 research project will focus on adaptation of the Empower HealthTM system into the local context in an urban and rural region of Ghana by multi-level engagement with stakeholders. We have assembled a multi-national, multi-disciplinary team of researchers and medical device professionals with expertise in mobile technology development, hypertension, cardiology, population studies, and public health across multiple institutions in Ghana (University of Ghana, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Medtronic Labs Ghana) and the USA (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Tufts University). The proposed feasibility studies will be conducted at two large cardiovascular clinics in the Greater Accra region and the Volta region in Ghana. Phase One aims to (1) implement a user-centered, iterative design approach to adapt the mHealth platform based on feedback from stakeholders, and (2) conduct a 6-month usability and feasibility study with a cohort of patients. Phase Two aims to conduct a 12-month feasibility study to assess change in blood pressure among a cohort of patients in two regions of Ghana. In order to accelerate mobile health research in Ghana, we propose to form the AHOMKA Research and Education Network as part of the strategic capacity building plan.